Sac-Joaquin Section football projections: Oct. 22

With only three weeks left of the regular season in the Sac-Joaquin Section, we can start to see where teams will fall in this year's playoffs.

A total of 72 teams will be split into six different brackets, with Division I-III comprised of the 48 largest schools. Division I will be the 16 largest schools based on enrollment. Divisions IV-VI will be comprised of the 24 smallest schools, split into three separate eight-team brackets. However, there are a few exceptions to this rule:

1. A school may not play more than one division below their league placement.
2. If a school won a section championship last season, that school must play at or above that level.
3. If a team wins a league championship, that team must play at or above the level of its league competition.
4. Schools that win three championships in a row will be moved up a division.
5. If a team has maintained success over several years, the Section Commissioner can move a team up a division.

Division VII will be comprised of three teams from the CCAA and SMAL. We will not project those brackets as they are clear on who will make it.

*Note: These are just projections and nothing is final until official brackets are released by the Sac-Joaquin Section. We will update our projections each week.

Here are teams we think have already locked a playoff spot. These teams have won at least seven games and have at least two league wins. A team must have a minimum of two league wins to have a chance of making the postseason.

Seven or more wins
Ordered by enrollment size
School, League, wins, Enrollment Size

Oak Ridge (SFL) - 7 - 2,408
Folsom (SFL) - 8 - 2,179 (MUST BE D-I)
Napa (MEL) - 7 - 2,093
Elk Grove (Delta) - 7 - 1,866
Antelope (CVC) - 7 - 1,800
Inderkum (TCC) - 8 - 1,734
Patterson (WAC) - 7 - 1,722
Oakdale (VOL) - 7 - 1,637
Placer (PVL) - 7 - 1,360
Sonora (MLL) - 7 - 979
Marysville (GEL) - 7 - 902
Orestimba (SL) - 7 - 783
Bear River (PVL) - 7 - 711 (NO LOWER THAN D-V)
Gustine (SL) - 7 - 557
Capital Christian (GEL) - 7 - 406
Central Catholic (VOL) - 7 - 369 (MUST BE IN D-III OR ABOVE)

Six wins with two league wins
School, League, Enrollment Size

Kennedy (METRO) - 2,141
Downey (MMC) - 1,909
Grant (Delta) - 1,897 (NO LOWER THAN D-II)
Del Campo (CVC) - 1,836
River Valley (TCC) - 1,721
Manteca (VOL) - 1,503
Dixon (GEL) - 1,163
Christian Brothers (CAL) - 1,074 (NO LOWER THAN D-III)
Bradshaw Christian (SDL) - 354

LEAGUES - Who is currently in contention of making the playoffs?

The Delta and SFL will get four automatic bids into the postseason

Delta - Divison I
Team, enrollment, league record, overall record
Elk Grove (1,866) - 4-0 | 7-0
Grant (1,897) - 3-1 | 6-1
Franklin (2,768) - 3-1 | 5-2
Pleasant Grove (2,596) - 2-2 | 3-4
Jesuit (2,128) - 2-2 | 4-3

SFL - Division I
Folsom (2,179) - 4-0 | 8-0
Oak Ridge (2,408) - 4-0 | 7-1
Rocklin (1,841) - 2-2 | 5-3
Granite Bay (2,084) - 1-2 | 4-3
Woodcreek (2,216) - 1-2 | 5-2
Del Oro (1,695) - 1-3 | 2-5

The VOL, SL, PVL, TCC and TVL will receive three automatic entries

VOL - Division III
Central Catholic (369) - 4-0 | 7-0
Oakdale (1,637) - 4-0 | 7-0
Manteca (1,503) - 3-1 | 6-1
Lathrop (1,269) - 2-2 | 4-3
Sierra (1,321) - 2-2 | 4-3

SL - Division VI
Gustine (557) - 4-0 | 7-0
Orestimba (783) - 4-0 | 7-0
Mariposa Country (532) - 3-1 | 4-2
Ripon Christian (226) - 2-2 | 5-2

PVL - Division IV
Bear River (711) - 2-0 | 7-0
Placer (1,360) - 2-0 | 7-0
Lincoln (1,656) - 2-0 | 5-2

TCC - Division III
Inderkum (1,734) - 4-0 | 8-0
River Valley (1,721) - 3-1 | 6-2
Yuba City (1,777) - 3-1 | 3-5

TVL - Division V
Ripon (896) - 2-0 | 4-3
Modesto Christian (160) - 2-0 | 3-4
Hughson (724) - 1-1 | 6-1
Hilmar (633) - 1-1 | 4-3

The remaining leagues will receive two automatic entries

CAL - Division III
El Camino (1,592) - 2-0 | 5-2
Vista del Lago (1,514) - 2-0 | 5-2
Christian Brothers (1,074) - 2-0 | 6-1

CVC - Division II
Antelope (1,800) - 4-0 | 7-0
Del Campo (1,836) - 4-0 | 6-1
Whitney (1,926) - 3-1 | 5-2
Cosumnes Oaks (2,148) - 2-2 | 4-3
Bella Vista (2,033) - 2-2 | 4-3

CCC - Division I
Turlock (2,220) - 2-0 | 5-1
Merced (1,991) - 2-0 | 4-3
Golden Valley (1,722) - 1-1 | 4-3
Pitman (2,140) - 1-1 | 4-3

GEL - Division V
Capital Christian (406) - 3-0 | 7-0
Dixon (1,163) - 3-1 | 6-2
Marysville (902) - 3-1 | 7-1

METRO - Division II
Sacramento (985) - 4-0 | 4-3
Burbank (1,778) - 4-0 | 4-3
Kennedy (2,141) - 3-1 | 6-1

MMC - Division I
Modesto (2,392) - 3-0 | 5-2
Downey (1,909) - 3-1 | 6-2

MEL - Division I
Vacaville (1,924) - 2-0 | 4-3
Napa (2,093) - 2-0 | 7-0
Wood (1,606) - 1-1 | 6-1
Vintage (1,958) - 1-1 | 4-3

MLL - Division V
Sonora (979) - 4-0 | 7-1
Amador (628) - 2-1 | 5-2
Calaveras (1,063) - 2-1 | 4-3
Summerville (681) - 2-2 | 4-4

SDL - Division VI
Bradshaw Christian (354) - 4-0 | 6-2
Rio Vista (366) - 3-1 | 5-2
Highlands (900) - 2-1 | 5-2
Golden Sierra (413) - 2-1 | 4-3

SJAA - Division I
Chavez (2,484) - 2-0 | 4-3
Stagg (2,000) - 2-0 | 3-4
McNair (1,647) - 1-1 | 5-2

SVC - Division IV
Union Mine (1,029) - 2-0 | 5-2
Liberty Ranch (1,189) - 2-0 | 3-4
Rosemont (1,376) - 1-1 | 4-3
Cordova (1,687) - 1-1 | 4-3

SCAC - Division II
Benicia (1,690) - 2-0 | 5-2
Vanden (1,599) - 1-1 | 4-3
Fairfield (1,486) - 1-1 | 4-3
Amercan Canyon (1,586) - 1-1 | 2-5
Vallejo (1,760) - 1-1 | 2-5

TCAL - Division I
Tracy (2,094) - 2-0 | 4-3
St. Mary's (907) - 2-0 | 5-2
Lincoln (2,928) - 2-0 | 4-3

WAC - Division IV
Patterson (1,722) - 3-0 | 7-0
Pacheco (1,497) - 3-1 | 4-4
Los Banos (1,320) - 2-1 | 5-2
Central Valley (1,684) - 2-1 | 4-3

Early Bracket
Teams in yellow have only one league win

Division I
Folsom (SFL) - 8 - 2,179 (MUST BE D-I)
Elk Grove (Delta) - 7 - 1,866 (League leader)
Napa (MEL) - 7 - 2,093   
Oak Ridge (SFL) - 7 - 2,408       
Kennedy (METRO) - 6 - 2,141   
Franklin (DELTA) -  5 -  2,768  
Modesto (MMC) - 5 - 2,392
Turlock (CCC) - 5 - 2,220
Woodcreek (SFL) -  5 - 2,216
St. Mary's (TCAL) - 5 - 907  (League leader)   
Lincoln (S) TCAL) -  4 -  2,928   
Chavez (SJAA) -  4 -  2,484    
Cosumnes Oaks (CVC) - 4 - 2,148   
Pitman (CCC) - 4 - 2,140
Jesuit (DELTA) - 4 -  2,128
Pleasant Grove (DELTA) -  3 -  2,596   

Division II
Antelope (CVC) - 7 - 1,800   
Downey (MMC) - 6 - 1,909   
Grant (Delta) - 6 - 1,897 (NO LOWER THAN D-II)
Del Campo (CVC) - 6 - 1,836
Wood (MEL) - 6 - 1,606 (NO LOWER THAN D-II)
Whitney (CVC) - 5 - 1,926
Rocklin (SFL) - 5 - 1,841
McNair (SJAA) - 5 - 1,647 (NO LOWER THAN D-II) 
Tracy (TCAL) - 4 - 2,094   
Granite Bay (SFL) - 4 - 2,084
Merced (CCC) -  4 - 1,991
Vintage (MEL) - 4 - 1,958
Vacaville (MEL) - 4 - 1,924
Golden Valley (CCC) - 4 - 1,722 (NO LOWER THAN D-II)
Sacramento (METRO) - 4 - 985 (League leader)
Stagg (SJAA) -  3 -  2,000  

Division III
Inderkum (TCC) - 8 - 1,734 
Patterson (WAC) - 7 - 1,722
Oakdale (VOL) - 7 - 1,637 (NO LOWER THAN D-III)
Central Catholic - 7 - 369  (NO LOWER THAN D-III)
River Valley (TCC) - 6 - 1,721  
Christian Brothers (CAL) - 6 - 1,074 (NO LOWER THAN D-III)
Mateca (VOL) - 6 - 1,503  
Benicia (SCAC) - 5 - 1,690 
Lincoln (L) (PVL) -  5 - 1,656
El Camino (CAL) - 5 - 1,592
Vista del Lago (CAL) - 5 - 1,514  
Burbank (METRO) - 4 - 1,778   
Central Valley (WAC) - 4 - 1,684
Vanden (SCAC) - 4 - 1,599
Fairfield (SCAC) - 4 - 1,486 (NO LOWER THAN D-III)
Yuba City (TCC) - 3 - 1,777   
 
DIV
Placer (PVL) - 7 - 1,360        
Dixon (GEL) - 6 - 1,163
Los Banos (WAC) - 5 - 1,320
Pacheco (WAC) - 4 - 1,497   
Rosemont (SVC) - 4 - 1,376    
Sierra (VOL) - 4 - 1,321       
Lathrop (VOL) - 4 - 1,269   
Liberty Ranch (SVC) - 3 - 1,189   
  
Division V
Sonora (MLL) - 7 - 979
Marysville (GEL) - 7 - 902
Bear River (PVL) - 7 - 711 (NO LOWER THAN D-V)
Capital Christian (GEL) - 7 - 406 (League leader)
Union Mine (SVC) - 5 - 1,029  
Ripon (TVL) - 4 - 896 (League leader)
Calaveras (MLL) - 4 - 1,063   
Modesto Christian (TVL) - 4 - 160 (NO LOWER THAN D-V)

Division VI
Highlands (SDL) - 5 - 900
Orestimba (SL) - 7 - 783      
Gustine (SL) - 7 - 557
Hughson (TVL) - 6 - 724
Bradshaw Christian (SDL) - 6 - 354
Amador (MLL) - 5 - 628
Rio Vista (SDL) - 5 - 366      
Mariposa County (SL) - 4 - 532

Looking in
Hilmar (TVL) - 4 - 633   
Bella Vista (CVC) - 4 - 2,033   
Cordova (SVC) - 4 - 1,687   
Ripon Christian (SL) - 5 - 226